Raw deal! Raw deal! - Corn Piece Settlement resident reflects on rough COVID road Corn Piece Settlement resident reflects on rough COVID road

Dorel Housen flashed a wide and welcoming smile as he sat on his verandah in Corn Piece Settlement, Clarendon last Friday. This was quite the opposite when the news team visited the 70-year-old last April. Housen and some members of his family were among the first set of persons to contract the deadly COVID-19 virus.

His father-in-law, a 79-year-old man, was Jamaica's first fatality from the virus. The Ministry of Health and Wellness said that the man had a travel history from New York. He had diabetes and hypertension.

The death of the elderly man brought unwanted glare to his family and the community of Corn Piece Settlement. Stigmatisation and discrimination followed as the entire community was placed under quarantine on March 19.

Life for Housen and those close to him was turned upside down in an instant. As if testing positive for the virus, about which a lot was not known, was not enough, he and members of his family were made to endure hell in the early days of COVID-19.

"There were some people who dealt with us good but there were some who didn't talk to us. After I came out the hospital and was struggling, someone had passed a remark say a dead mi shoulda dead. It wasn't someone that I had any problems with or anything, and that person wished death on me, all because of COVID," Housen told THE STAR.

At the time of Corn Piece Settlement being placed under quarantine, Jamaica had 16 confirmed cases COVID-19 including one death. There were 39 persons currently in isolation at hospitals across the island, and the country's air and sea ports were closed to incoming passenger travel.

Fast-forward 11 months, the travel restrictions have been lifted -- except for a newly imposed ban on the United Kingdom; the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen to 13,548, as of Saturday, and there have been 312 deaths in the country.

Lost mobility in his legs

Housen recalled the day he was taken to hospital in the early days of COVID-19. He stated that after being admitted on March 21, he woke up a day later perturbed that he had lost mobility in his legs. He had suffered a stroke.

"I went in the hospital okay. In fact, I walked to the ambulance. I didn't have any symptoms or anything, but the stress of the whole thing give me a stroke. Mi pressure go up and give mi a stroke man. Just the test alone make me get 'haygo' (Hay Fever)...I was given a raw deal," Housen said.

The elderly man, who claims that he was mistreated by some of the staff at one of the hospitals, said he somewhat understood the fear that cause people to behave in negatively towards him.

"I sit back and think about it and I understand, because I would be afraid. It was a new virus that was killing people and none did know much about it," he said.

Still recovering from the stroke, Housen said that he continues to do follow-up visits with his doctor for other ailments that are unrelated to COVID-19. He is grateful that he fought and won his battle against the novel coronavirus.

"I have been to about three other labs after I was tested positive and the results shows that I am okay. I am doing my little farming still and we continue to take precaution and so does everyone in the community. Everyone lives good and no one is looking at us any way again. All I am doing is just praying that this virus leaves the world soon. I am glad I survived."

Housen is encouraging Jamaicans not to take the virus lightly and follow the stated protocols.

"Yuh just have to wear yuh mask, sanitise and do everything possible to protect yuh self. A lot of people a die from it daily," he noted.